Basic Survival Food List

Beans store well, are inexpensive and are nutritionally balanced.

In a disaster situation, food could become very scarce. Those who are prepared for these extreme situations will have the best chance of survival. When gathering foods for a survival list, there are three important things to consider. Most importantly, your food supply needs to be able to stand the test of time without spoiling; the longer it lasts, the better. Your survival foods should also be low cost and have good nutritional value. Foods that posses all of these qualities include rice, beans, grains, sugar, salt and raw honey.

Rice

Rice can be purchased in bulk at very low prices and has a shelf life of over 10 years, when stored properly. In addition, rice offers an abundance of carbohydrates, supplying the energy that is necessary in survival situations.

Beans

Beans have a solid reputation as a survival food due to their complete nutritional profile. Beans may be one of the most practical sources of protein in a survival situation, because other common sources of protein -- such as meat and eggs -- have a much shorter shelf life. All types of dried beans, including black, pinto, red and lentil, work well as survival foods. Beans are also a low cost food, when purchased dry and in bulk. When properly stored in a cool, dry and dark area, beans can last up to 10 years.

Grains

Both hard grains and soft grains are great survival foods. Hard grains include buckwheat, kamut, millet, dry corn, wheat and spelt, and soft grains include barley, oat groats, quinoa and rye. Properly stored hard grains can last up to 12 years while soft grains can last as long as eight years. These unprocessed grains also contain disease fighting chemicals, according to the Minnesota Department of Health, which are even more beneficial during times of famine and disaster when medical care may not be as readily available.

Salt, Sugar & Raw Honey

Salt is a very useful multipurpose survival food that lasts forever. It can be used for flavor as well as in storing foods and curing meat. Sugar can last up to 10 years or more and you can use it to add flavor and calories to your foods. Raw honey will last indefinitely and can be used to sweeten foods. It also has antiseptic properties.

Storage

Proper storage is key in getting your foods to live up to their potential age. One way to store your foods is to purchase a large 5 gallon seal-able food grade bucket from your local hardware store. Add an opened bag containing about 1 cup of salt to the bottom of your bucket; add your foods; then add a few ounces of dried ice to eliminate oxygen. Finally, seal the bucket and be sure to label it with the original storage date and its contents. Alternatively, you can purchase 5 gallon buckets made specifically for food storage that come with their own oxygen absorbing packets.